Software: Using PowerPoint

For the last year I've been using PowerPoint to create animated slides.
You need:
- a laptop
- a projector that connects to your laptop (very expensive)
- or an adaptor that plugs in to the laptop and then sits on the OHP.
- or, and this is what I've got, a laptop with the mirror part of the lid that
slides out leaving the tranparent part,which sits on the OHP. Mine is
a Pico Showman, which I got in the UK last year. The only disadvantage is
that it only works in a darkened room, but that works for me.
- you also need a remote mouse and a good set of clipart visuals.

I now have over 200 animated slides based on the first three books of
the Headway series (OUP). I've also added a great many sounds. The snag is that
you can only save one or two slides on a floppy, which is why I hope to
get an external CD writer this summer when I'm on vacation.

My students (Bahraini Naval recruits)love it. I use it once a week to supplement
just about everything.

It takes a lot of preparation, but I've found it very stimulating. The
more you do, the more creative you get.

If anyone is interested, I would be happy to download you a few examples.

Mike Paine
(an 'old Tefler' with 40 years experience)
[email protected].